THE Acts of Parliament touching the Duty of Excise, Order that every Common Brewer, for every Barrel of Ale or Beer by him Brewed, whether Strong or Small, that is above 6 s. the Barrel shall pay to the King the Duty of 2 s. 6 d. the Barrel, and for every Barrel of Ale or Beer of 6 s. the Barrel, or under, shall pay the Duty of 6 d. the Barrel; and by the same Acts every Barrel of Beer is appointed and allowed to contain 36 Gallons to the Barrel, and every Barrel of Ale to contain and be allowed 32 Gallons to the Barrel, each Gallon to contain 4 Quarts of the Ale-quart Standard of the Exchequer.

And for the Brewers Encouragement, and towards their Loss happening by Filling and Leakage, the said Acts do allow and appoint that they shall have allowed them out of every 23 Barrels of Beer, they shall so Brew 3 Barrels, and out of every 22 Barrels of Ale 2 Barrels.

That these Brewers ever since, and before the making the said Acts of Parliament always Brewed Beer, and not Ale, neither do they pretend to Brew Ale, they being really and properly Beer Brewers, and ever accounted such, and their Drink always taken to be and returned as Beer, and not as Ale, until about 4 years last past, when, by the Advice of Interested Persons, Beer was to be deemed and returned Ale, and 36 Gallons thereby reduc'd to 32 Gallons; and in truth such has been the practice ever since, and continues to this day.

That the Gagers have also since that time further imposed upon the Brewers, by Gaging and Returning their Worts hot from the Copper in the Backs and Coolers, whereas the practice was always quite otherways, and as is conceived by Law, the Gagers Return ought to be from the Tun, and no Returns to be made but from thence.

By reason of which unwarrantable Gaging of hot Worts, and the Returning Beer to be Ale, the Brewers lose an Eighth part of what they Brew, the Steem and Sediment being as well Gaged and Returned as the Worts, and the Allowance given the Brewers by the Acts also wholly taken away in such false Returns.

Great Differences have often arose between Brewer and Gager, and Applications made by the Brewer to Persons Authorized by Law to determine such Differences, who have often Adjudged on behalf of the Brewer, as is ready to be proved, yet all but fruitless and in vain; the Gager still persisting in their irregular Returns, and the Brewers exposed to the Mercy of a Gager's single Oath, to Make and Return their Drink of what quality, and by what name they please, although they little or never were acquainted with the Brewing Trade, to the great Oppression and discouragement of the Brewers in their several Occupations, and the disabling them in their ready compliance of payment to their Majesties of their Just Duty Assessed by Law, (which they always were, and still are willing to do,) unless speedily reliev'd and helpt by the Authority of this Honourable House, which they humbly Offer to their Grave Consideration for Relief therein.